MUMBAI: Veteran animator Glen Keane is soon to leaving Walt Disney Animation.One of the key figures in the studio‘s animation revival, Keane worked on classics like The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin.

Animator Glen Keane, a 38-year veteran of the Walt Disney Animation Studios who worked on such classics as The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin, announced Friday that he is leaving the company.

In a letter sent to his co-workers, the 38-year old said that while the studio has been his "artistic home," he had decided after "long and thoughtful consideration" that there are "endless new territories to explore" and so he is moving on.

Confirming his departure, a Disney spokesperson said, "After an incredible 38-year career as an animator, storyteller, and filmmaking pioneer with Walt Disney Animation Studios, Glen Keane has decided that the time has come to take the next step in his personal exploration of the art of animation. As much as we are saddened by his departure, we respect his desires and wish him the very best with all his future endeavors."

Keane played a key role in the Disney animation renaissance of the ‘90s, and his departure came as a shock to many in the animation community. He brought to life such characters as Ariel in The Little Mermaid, the Beast in Beauty and the Beast and the title characters in Aladdin, Pocahontas and Tarzan.